Motion picture and photography industries utilize many unique and specialized rigging, mounting, and support devices, assemblies and/or systems for mounting or otherwise securing camera, lighting, special effects, and other motion picture production and photography fixtures and equipment for use on a film or movie set, a stage, or in other types of production or photography settings. Many of these devices, assemblies and/or systems are small and portable, and serve to meet needs and to be used in situations that can be temporary, that can be unexpected, or that cannot be otherwise fulfilled by other equipment. One example of such an assembly is a skid plate for releasably coupling and supporting various fixtures and other equipment, such as a light fixture, wherein the skid plate and the supported light fixture can be positioned and repositioned about, for example, a motion picture production set. As is known, the skid plate can comprise a base mount or platform, sometimes referred to as an apple box, and a fixture mount, such as a pin plate that has been secured or mounted to the apple box, and that comprises a structure and interface configured to releasably couple the light or other fixture. Typically, the pin plate is mounted to the apple box using fasteners.
While mounting a pin plate to an apple box with fasteners can be carried out to construct a skid plate, there are several attendant disadvantages and inefficiencies that exist. Typically, with the use of fasteners the mounting process involves obtaining a tool, such as a power tool, capable of driving screws; selecting both a pin plate and an apple box; obtaining a plurality of screws to be used, typically those that are ¾″ to 1″ in length; positioning the pin plate on the apple box at the desired location; securing and/or steadying the apple box; aligning the screws with the holes in the plate portion or base plate of the pin plate, and driving in the plurality of screws, being careful not to overdrive them. As can be seen, this mounting process can be quite involved and time consuming. Indeed, it is not uncommon for this mounting process to take between 30 and 90 seconds depending upon the experience and skill of the operator, as well as the number of skid plates to be constructed or built. This can significantly slow down the production and disrupt the workflow taking place on the set or stage, particularly in the event a request is made for a specifically configured skid plate. In addition, once assembled together to form a skid plate, the pin plate and the apple box combination has a reduced, dedicated function with neither the apple box nor the pin plate being able to serve in any of its other, varied functional until the reverse process is undergone and the pin plate and apple box disassembled. The removal process is the reverse of the mounting process, and even though the reversal process can be carried out in slightly less time, this process still can take between 30-40 seconds or more to complete. Another disadvantage that comes from mounting the pin plate to the apple box using fasteners is that the specific placement of the pin plate on the apple box cannot be changed without disassembling the skid plate and remounting the pin plate in a different position, thus requiring even more operator time. Moreover, the repositioning of the pin plate about the apple box in this manner would also require the removal of any production or other equipment being supported by the skid plate. Still another disadvantage is that the mounting is somewhat destructive to the apple box as the fasteners are required to be driven into the typically wood material of the apple box. Upon their removal, the apple box is left with several holes. Over time as multiple mounting and demounting events occur, the apple box can become broken or chipped and eventually worn out. Other disadvantages to current skid plate construction practices that are not specifically discussed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Reference will now be made to the examples illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.